Record card controlled statistical machine



Oct. 21, 1941. I A. THOMAS ET AL 2,260,097

' RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed Oct. '7, 1959 15 Sheefs-Sheet 1 Fig. I.

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Filed Oct. '7, 1959 Oct. 21, 1941.

A. THOMAS ET AL RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1939 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 3A.

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RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Oct. 7 1939 Fig. 5A.

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Oct. 21, 1941. A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 Filed Oct. 7, 1939 I. i f a W 0 v M 0 W9 A m 2 0 M 2 v a M v S V/ 3 A .7 ,7 a w. a a a h 0 m" M m 3 3 5 w m 2 a y a w mg IM IHHHIHWwHU 5 l HH\ w r Oct. 21, 1941. THQMAS A I 2,260,097

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Oct. 21, 1941. A. THOMAS ETA| 2,260,097

RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed Oct. 7, 1959 15 Sheets-Sheet 13 Arron 5 Oct. 21, 1941. THOMAS ET AL 2,260,097

RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed 001:. 7, 1939 l5 Sheets-Sheet 14 ATTORNEY A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD CARD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Oct. 21, 1941.

15 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Oct. 7, 1959 Fig. 13.

ar w f ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1941 Q RECORD CARD CONTROLLED "STATISTICAL MACHI Arthur Thomas, Wallington, and Norman. Geoffrey Holden, CarshaltomEngland, assignors to Powers Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a company of Great Britain" Application October 7, 1939, Serial Nd. 298,524 In Great Britain October 7, 1938 4 Claims.

This invention relates to record card controlled statistical machines.

In punched card accounting machines practice it is customary at the end of a month to punch for each account a balance card. These balance cards are punched with an account number as well as with the amount of the balance, and are put in numerical order in a file in which they are kept until the end of the next month.

During the month a detail or item card is punched for each transaction and each detail card is also punched with the number of the respective account. At the end of the month these detail cards are sorted into groups, the cards in each group having the same account number, and it is desired to take the balance card from their file and place the appropriate balance card at the head of each group of detail cards.

The present invention has'for its object to provide a machine capable of fulfilling the above function; but is not limited by the nature of the cards with which it has to deal. For example, instead of balance'and item cards, other related cards may be employed, which in the present specification will be generally referredto as master and detail cards.

According to the present invention a record card controlled statistical machine comprises in combination a master card magazine and a detail card magazine, each having a card feed mechanism and a sensing mechanism associated there-- with, means for comparing the sensings of a contemporaneously sensed master and detail card, and means operative under the control of the comparing means for causing an operation of the master card feed mechanism or of the detail card feed mechanism in accordance with the re-- sult of the comparison.

Preferably according to the invention there is' provided means, operative under the control of the comparing means, for controlling the two card' feed mechanisms in such a way that when disagreement between the compared sensings occurs, feeding from the master card magazine takes place and when agreement between the compared sensings occurs feeding from the detail card magazine takes place. v

Preferably also according to the invention the detail cards, after being sensed, are fed into a receiver, and when disagreement immediately follows agreement, the disagreeing master card is fed into the receiver containing the sensed detail agreement the disagreeing master card is fedinto a different receiver.

, Conveniently according to the invention means is providedwhereby when a master card is fed into the receiverwhich contains the sensed detail cards, a. signal card isefed into the other receiver. a

The machine may also, according to the invention, include means associated with the master card sensing means for sensing the presence or absence of a, control hole inothe cards, manually settable control means for disabling the comparing means candvsimultaneously placing under the control :of said control hole sensing means the signal. card feedingmeans and also the signal card receiver, in such a way'that when a control'hole is sensed in a card, saidcard passes into the detail card receiverand a card is fed from the. signal card magazine into the signal card, receiver, whereby by. placinga stack .of old balance cards and signal cards in the master card magazine, said signal cards each having the control hole, and a stack of new balance cards in the signal card magazine the signal cards are extracted and delivered .to the detail card receiver and the old and new balance cards, are amalgamated in correct numerical order and delivered to the signal card receiver.

In order that the invention maybe more completely understood a preferred embodiment thereof 'Will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: 1

Figures 1 and 1A show the machine in outside elevation;

Figure 2 is an end view from the right hand side of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 3A together constitute an outside elevation of the side opposite to that seen in Figure 1; r

Figure 4 is an end view from the right-hand side of Figure ,3;

Figures 5 and 5A together constitute a plan; Figures 6 and 6A together constitute a longitudinal section on the line VI-VI of Figure 5;

Figure -7 is a transverse section on the line VIIVII of Figure 5;

Figures 8 and 8A together constitute a diae grammatic perspective viewof the main operating and control mechanism of the machine;

Figure 9 illustrates a detail of the card stop mechanism; T

Figure 10 illustrates a detail of the signal card cards whereas when disagreement follows disfeeding mechanism;

Figure 11 illustrates a further constructional detail; and

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a detail of the comparing mechanism to a larger scale, Figure 13 being a view looking at the left of Figure 12.

In this construction the machine includes two card magazines I and 2 into one of which (I) balance cards are placed, and into the other of which (2) detail cards are placed. Associatedwith each magazine is a, reciprocating sensing pin box.

These pin boxes are shown at P1 and P2 in the drawings and since the construction of each pin box is identical the construction'of only one of the pin boxes will be described herein.

Referring more particularlyto Figures 1, 2,

and 6, each pin box comprises two .end plates .3 connected by horizontal plates 4 provided with holes for the reception of the sensing pins 5. These are ten columns of sensing pins 5, each column comprising twelve pins. Above the upper of the two plates 4 each pin .5 is increased in width at 5a, the lower end of the portion 5a. of larger diameter normally resting on the upper plate 4. 'Above the portion 5a of largerdiameter each pin 5 is again reduced in diameter as indicated at 51), and this reduced portion is guided at its upper end in a .transverse plate 6, the reduced portion being surrounded by a spring I which by acting on the upper surface of the portion 5a of increased diameter tends to push the pin 5 downwardly. Disposed above the plate 6 are'two plates 8 which serve as guides for plungersll, there being one plunger disposed above each sensing. pin 5. To each plunger is connected the end of the inner wire of a Bowden cable in, the end of the outer casings of the Bowden cables being attached to a plate II. For convenience of reference the Bowden cables emanating from the pin box P1 will hereinafter be referred to as the cables l0, and the Bowden cables emanating from the pin box P2 will be referred to as the cables Ilia.

Each pin box P1 and P2 also comprises two guide plates I2 having lugs I20, and I2b.. The lugs [2a are slotted at l3 to embrace aguide bar I 4 and the lugs |2b have holes through which pass a guide rod 15. At each of their ends the guide bar l4 and the. guide rod [5 are connected by a casting l6 including a boss I! guided for vertical reciprocation on a post l8, these posts l8 projecting vertically from the machine frame.

Each pin box: is adjustable horizontally on the guides I4 and I5 in the manner described in United States Patent No. 1,866,748 issued July 12, 1932.

Pivoted to each of the castings I6 is an eccentric rod 19 operated by an eccentric 20, there being thus two pairs of eccentrics 20 and eccentric rods l9 to each pin box P1 and P2.

The pair of eccentrics for the pin box P1 are secured to a pin box operating'shaft 2la, while the eccentrics 20 for the pin box P2 are secured to a pin box operating shaft 21b. I

The cards fromthe magazine I are fed to the pin box P1 by means of a reciprocating picker knife 22,.this picker knife being operated by a pair of arms 23 secured to a rocking shaft 24 which is controlled in a manner to be described later.

The card stop 25 for the pin box P1 is secured to a vertical post 25 which is mounted'as follows:

The lower end of the post 26 isguided in a bracket 21 and is surrounded by a spring 28 which tends to urge the post and therefore the card stop 25 upwardly. At the upper end a bar 29 is screwed to the underside of the fixed pin plate 30, and two retaining bars 3| are secured to this bar 29 so that the card stop 25 is guided between the bars 29 and 3| (Figure 9).

Secured to a shaft 32 freely mounted in a bracket 33 is an arm 34 engaging a pin 35 on the post 26, and also secured to the shaft 32 is an arm 31 connected by. a link 38 to an arm 39 on the shaft 24. Accordingly when the shaft 24 rocks clockwise to feed a card, the shaft 32 is also rocked clockwise to lower the card stop 25 so as to permit the card which is already between the pin plates 36 to be ejected therefrom. The card which has just been fed is conveyed from the magazine I to the pin plates by means of feed rolls 40, and the timing is such that the card stop 25 rises again before the entering .card reaches it, so that the latter is arrested between the pin plates 3!] by the card stop 25.

A similar mechanism is provided in association with the magazine .2, and the corresponding parts .have been shown on the drawings with the same reference numerals .to which however, the suffix a has been added.

The shaft 24a is rocked under the control of mechanism which will be described later.

Disposed between the two .pin boxesP1 and P2 is a comparing device indicated generally atC. For each of the ten columns of sensingpins 5 in the pin boxes there is a column of pairs of comparing elements indicated at Ma and 41b in a plate 43, a spring 44a, 441) being provided around the reduced portion to urge the comparing element upwardly. At their upper end the comparing elements are guided in plates 45.

The comparing element Ma of each pair is connected to the Bowden cable It emanating from the corresponding pin 5 in the corresponding column of the pin box P1, while the com' paring element Nb of each pair is connected to the Bowden cable Illa emanating from the corresponding pin in the corresponding column of the pin box P2.

Pivoted to each of the comparing slides 4| (1 is a swinging element 46 (Figures 12 and 13), having a recess 41 formed therein, while the other comparing element 4!!) of the pair is provided with a projection 48 which when the comparing elements 41a, 41b of a pair are both raised or both lowered, can enter the recess '47 in the associated swinging element 4'5. Passing 1 transversely of each column of pairs of comprojection 48 on the. one comparing slide 410' .2;2co,o97

its .fullest extent.

are in the same position, either up or down, then a the projection 48 on the one slide will be in register with therecess. 41 in the swinging element 46 pivoted to the other slide and the testing comb 49 will be able to move.

- It will be seen that'since the two comparing slidesv 4|a, MD of a pair are set through the Bowden cables l6, Illa from corresponding sensing pins in the two sensing pin boxes P1, P2, the relative positions of the two comparing slides 4|a, 4|b, will depend upon whether there is agreement or disagreement between the two cards simultaneously sensed by the two pin boxes as regards the particular hole position on the cards corresponding to the pair of comparing elements concerned.

When the machine is first started, there is no card in either pin box and, therefore, during the first cycle of operation of the pin boxes when the two pin boxes descend, all the pins thereof find a hole and there is complete agreement between the results of the sensing operations performed by the two pin boxes. Accordingly, all the testing comb's 49 for the ten columns of the comparing unit are able to move.

Each testing comb has pivoted to its righthand end at 59 a latch having a pin 52 which;

when the latch is in the position shown in Figure 8A is in engagement with a forked arm 53 se-.

cured to a shaft 54. The shaft 54 has secured to its right-hand end an arm 55 pivoted to a link 56 which at its lower end is guided on the shaft 2|b by means of a slot 57 and carries a roller 58 engaging with a cam 59 secured to the shaft2 lb.

'At itsleft-hand end the shaft 54 has secured thereto an arm 69 to which is attached a'spring 6| anchored to the machine frame at 62. This spring 6| therefore tends to rock the shaft 54 counterclockwise (Figure 8A) thereby maintain ing the roller 58 in contact with the cam 59.

When the shaft 54 rocks, the comb bars 49 of which the latches 5| are engaged with the associated forked arm 53' will also tend to move. By raising any latch 5| about its pivot 56 from the position shown in Figure 8, the associated testing comb 49 can be disconnected from the shaft 54 thereby rendering the associated column of comparing elements 4|a, 4|b inoperative.

It may here be mentioned that for convenience of reference the shaft 54 will hereinafter bereferred to as the card feed control shaft.

Fixed to the arm 60 is a plate 60a spaced from the arm by spacers 66b to form a guide for the upper end of a vertical link 66 having a slot 65 formed with a shoulder 64. Projecting from the arm 68 is a pin 63 which passes through the slot 65 and through plate 68a, the outer end of pin 63 forming an anchor for a spring 61 which normally holds the pin 63 against a shoulder 64 of the slot 65; I Thus when the shaft 54 rocks counterclockwise the pin 63 will depress the link 66.

The lower end of the link 66 is pivoted at 61a to a link 68 which is pivoted at 69 to an eccentric rod 19 operated by an eccentric secured to the shaft 2| a.

Figures 8 and 8A show the position of the parts In this. position of the link 66 a block 12 on the link 68 is in register with the upper end of an arm 73b freely mounted on a shaft 14.

If the shaft 54 has not rocked counterclockwise, then the link 66 will be in its uppermost position and will have raised the link 68 until the block 12 is in register with a block 15 secured to an arm 13a freely mounted on the shaft 14,

At each sensing operation the cam 59 releases the link 56, arm 55 and shaft 54 to the action of spring 6| which is attached to arm 66 secured to shaft 54. If agreement exists between the contemporaneously sensed cards then comb 49 will be free to be actuated by shaft 54 so that when link 56 is released by cam 59 said shaft 54 will be permitted to rock counterclockwise to the position shown in Figures 8 and 8A, under the action of spring 6|. Therefore the block 12 is in register with the upper end of the arm 13b so that when the eccentric rod'fHl is moved to the left (Figure 8 position) the block 12 rocks the arm 13b to the left (position shown in Figure 8). The arm 13b is connected by a link 16- to an arm Tl secured to the shaft 24a which operates the picker 22a forthe magazine 2, and also the card stop 25a for the pin box P2.

. Accordingly when agreement occurs a card is fed to the pin box P2 which senses the detail card.

At the same time the card stop 25a which was in its uppermost position, thereby holding the preceding card in the pin box P2 is lowered to release this card and then raised again to arrest the newly fed card. I

If disagreement between the sensed cards occurs thecomb 49 will be unable to move and consequently spring 6| will be unable to rock shaft 54 counterclockwise to the position shown in Figures 8 and 8A when cam 59 releases link 56. In order to prevent roller 58 from chattering on the cam 59 when shaft 54 is thus prevented from rocking, lost motion is provided between link 56 and arm 55 by means of slot 56b in link 56 engaging a pin (not shown) in arm 55.

A spring 56a connected between link 56 and arm.

55 keeps the roller 58 up .tothe cam 59 even though shaft 54 is prevented fromrocking, the slot 562) and associated pin permitting the movement of link 56 relatively to arm 55. Accordingly when disagreement occurs the link 66 remains in its uppermost position, so that the' block 12 remains in register with the block 15 on the arm 13a. Accordingly when the link 10'moves to the left the arm 13a, is rocked to the left' and by means of a link 18 connecting the arm 13a to anarm 19 on the shaft 24 rocks the latter.

When the shaft 24 is thus rocked a card is fed from the master card magazine to the master card sensing pin box P1 by means of the picker 22, and at the same time the card stop 25 is operated to release the preceding card and arrest the newly fed card.

after the shaft v54 has rocked counterclockwise, V

and. in this position the link 66 is depressed to Thus, if there is agreement between two cards, the card feed control shaft 54 is rocked and a card is fed from the detail card magazine 2 to the detail cardsensing pin box P2. At the same time the detail card step 250. is lowered therebypermitting the agreeing detail card to leave the pin box P2. On the other hand if the card feed control shaft 54 is prevented from rockingby disagreement between two cards, a card is fed from the balance card magazine to the balance card sensing pin box P1, and the balance card stop 25 is lowered permitting the disagreeing balance card to leave the balance card pin boxb When agreement occurs between two cards the.

, it is conveyed by feed rolls 8I.

As long as successive detail cards agreewith the balance card which is in the balance card pin box P1, the said balance card will remain in the balance card pin box since the balance card stop 25 is held up. As soon, however, as a detail card enters the detail card sensing pin box P2 and disagrees with this balance card, it is' desired to feed this balance card into the same receiver .80 as the preceding detail cards and at the same time to feed into the balance card pin box P1 the next succeeding balance card. If this next succeeding balance card still disagrees with the detail card sensing, it is desired to feed this disagreeing balance card into a reject box. To this end, a reject box .82 is disposed between the card receiver 88 and the balance card sensing pin box P1 and this reject box has a shutter 83 which is normally open.

The shutter 83 is secured to a spindle 84 .having secured thereto an, arm 85 connected by means of a link 86 to an arm 8'! secured to a shaft 88. To the shaft 88 is secured an arm 85 to which is pivoted a vertical link 90 guided near its lower end by means of a slot SI engaging .a screw 92 secured to the machine frame. A spring 93 attached to the link 90 and anchored to the machine frame at 94 urges the link 98 downwardly.

Pivoted to the machine frame at 95 is an arm 96 to the lower end of which is pivoted a horizontal link QI. Pivoted to the link 91 at $8 is a lever 99 secured to a shaft Illa, and formed in the link 91 at its right-hand end is a recess IZlI with which can cooperate a pin I02 on the link 90.

Secured to the shaft IN! is a disc P33 having two teeth I04, I65 cut therein. Co-operating with these teeth are two pawls one of which is an actuating pawl Hit, and the other is a detent pawl IN. The feed pawl I06 is pivoted on a rod 508 secured to an operating arm I09 which is freely mounted on the shaft I and has an extension III] connected by a link III'to the arm 13a.

Secured to an extension of the arm fill is a vertical link In guided at its lower end by means feed control shaft 54 rocks counter-clockwise to the position shown in Figure 8A, whereby the link H2 is raised and lifts the pawls Hit, It! clear of the teeth I84 and I on the disc I83, .so that the pawls do not operate. This position is shown in Figure 8A.

On the other hand if disagreement occurs the link II2 is not lifted and the pawls remain in engagement with the teeth on the disc Hi3. Since disagreement results in the feeding of a card from the balance card magazine I the opcrating arm ll-la for the balance card picker 22 will rock to the left in Figure 8 and will actuate the pawl IBIS thereby stepping the disc Hi3 round one tooth. This movement of the disc H13 acting throughthe lever 99 moves the horizontal link 9'! to the left into a position such that the recess I0! therein comes into register with the pin Hi2 on the link 90 which controls the shutter 83 for v the reject box 82. Consequently this link to is permitted todrop under the action of the spring 93and closes the "shutter 83 so that thedis agreeing balance card passes over the reject box 82 and enters the same box 80 as the detail card. If now the next balance card also disagrees the card feed control shaft 54 will fail to rock and the pawl I05 will be allowed to operate a second time, thereby stepping the disc I03 round one more tooth, whereby the horizontal link 91 will be moved still further to the left into a position such that the recess IUI is beyond the pin I02. Consequently the link 90 is cammed up by engagement of the inclined shoulder of slot IIlI with pin I02 and the shutter 83 is held open, so that the second disagreeing balance card goes into the reject box 82.

If the next following balance card still produces disagreement the resulting movement of the pawl it does not move the toothed disc I03 as the latter is only provided with two teeth. The detent pawl III'l however, holdsthe disc I03 in the operated position by engagement with the tooth I65.

On the first occurrence of agreement after disagreement the pawls I96, IIi'l are-lifted clear of the disc I83 by the rocking of the card feed control shaft 54 as described above, and the disc is returned to its normal position by a spring II5.

When a balance card is fed into the same box Gil as the detail card, i. e. on the occurrence of the first disagreement immediately following agreewhen on the first occurrence of disagreement after agreement the disc N33 is stepped round one tooth, this second recess II I in the horizontal link 97 comes into register with a pin II8 on an arm I I9 controlling the feed of cards from the signal card magazine I I 6. 1

The arm I I 9 is pivoted to the machine frame at I26 and carries a further pin I2I engaging in a slot I22 in a link I23 pivoted to an arm I24 secured to a sleeve I25 freely mounted on a shaft The link I23 has a hook end I21 which is normally held above a lug I28 by engagement of the pin H8 with the upper edge of the link 91. When, however, the link 91 moves to the left to bring the recess Il'l into register with the pin IIS, the arm II9 drops under the action of 'a spring not shown, whereby the hook I21 engages a lug I28 on a link I29 pivoted to the eccentric rod It and 69, and its other end to an arm E39 freely mounted on the shaft 14.

When the eccentric II moves the rod 15 to the right, the link I29 is also moved to the right and the lug I28 by engagement with the hook I2? will pull the link I23 to the right, thereby rocking the sleeve I25 clockwise.

Secured to the sleeve I25 is a second arm I3I connected by a link I32 to a bell crank I33 pivoted to the machine frame I34 and also to the signal card picker I35 (Figure 1-0). By this means when the link 9'! moves to the left on the first occurrence of disagreement after agreement the signal card picker is operated to feed a signal card into the reject box 82.

Thus, at the end of the operation of the machine the receiver 89 contains the groups of detail cards in order, each group being followed by its respective balance card. In the reject box 82 there are the balance cards for which there were no corresponding detail cards together with signal cards corresponding to. the balance cards which were extracted from the balance card file ing the pin I53 from beneath the pin I55.

and placed at the head of the respective groups of detail cards.

The'detail cards with their balance cards are put through the tabulator for the purposeof preparing the account statements and the tabulator prepares a new balance card for each group which is punched with the group designation and with the amount of the new balance.

After-the new balance cards have been prepared by the tabulator it is desired to insert them in the proper order into the pack of old balance cards contained in the reject box 82, at the same time removing from this pack the signal cards which were inserted therein.

To this end the balance card sensing pin box P2 is provided with a control sensing pin I36 which is mountedas follows:

' The pm I 36 is guided at its upper end in a bar I31 (Fig. 8) of the pin box P2 and at its lower end in a lug I300, projecting from a bracket I38 attached to the bar I31. Secured to the .pin I36 is a block I39 and between this block and the bar I31 is mounted a spring I40 which urges the pin I36 downwardly. At its upper end the pin carries a projection I 4| overlying a bell crank I42 pivoted to a bracket I43 on the machine frame, the bell crank I42 being connected by a link I44 to a latch I45 pivoted to the machine frame at I46, and co-operatingwith a lug I41 on an arm I48 fixed to the card feed control shaft 54.

' Secured to a shaft I49a coaxial with, but separate from, the shaft 88 is a control handle I49 which when the machine is set for comparing master and detail cards is in the position shown in the drawings. When it is desired to replace the signal cards in the pack taken from the reject box 82 by new balance cards however, the control handle I49 is moved over until the tooth I50 thereon engages the notch II in the plate I52. When the control handle I49 is in the position shown in Figure 8a pin I53 on an arm I54 secured to the shaft M911 is holding up a pin I55 secured to the boss of the-latch I45, so that the latch I45 is preventedfrom co-operating with the lug I41. When the control handle I49 is moved to the right in Figure 8 so that its tooth I50 engages with the recess I5I, the lever- I54 on shaft I49a is rocked clockwise thereby withdraw- If now the control sensing pin I36 finds a hole in a cardit will descend to the fullest extent and the projection I4I thereon will rock the bell crank I42counterclockwise thereby pulling the link I44 to the leftand holding the latch I45 out of engagement with thelug I41. The shaft 54 will therefore be free to rock.

If on the other hand the pin I36 does not find a hole it will be prevented from descending to the fullest extent, and the latch I45 will engage with the lug I41 when the shaft 54 rocks clockwise and willprevent this shaft rocking back in the counter-clockwise direction.

The clockwise movement of the lever I54 brought about by the'movement of the control handle I49 just described brings a roller I56 carried by the lever I54 into engagement with the link 66, and pushes this link over to the left so that the shoulder 64 is moved away from the pin 63 so that the latter rocks idly in the block 65 and does not move the link 66 when the shaft 54 rocks. Accordingly the control of the card feed by the shaft 54 is then interrupted.

Consequently When the control handle I49 is moved into the position in which its tooth I50 engages with the recessI5I the link 66 remains in its uppermost position and the link68 also remains in its uppermost position in which the block 12 remains in register with the block 15 so that at each reciprocation of the'link 68 the arm 13a is rocked whereby a card is fed from the balance card magazine I to the pin box P1 at each machine cycle. The card picker for the detail card magazine 2 will however be entirely inoperative.

When it is desired to replace the signal cards in the pack of balance cards taken from the reject box 82, by new balance cards the latches 5I are disengaged from the forked members 53 so that the card feed control shaft 54 is no longer influenced by the comparing mechanism C. v

Asalready described a toothed disc I03 is provided with which co-operate two pawls I06 and I01 pivoted to an operating arm I09 actuated by the arm 130. which controls the picker for the balance card magazine I. I

Since after movement of the control handle I49 as described above the arm 13a operates to feed a balance card at every card cycle, the pawls I06 and I01 will also be operated at every card cycle. 'It will be remembered, however, that when the card feed control shaft 54 is rocked the pawls I06 and I01 are lifted clear of'the teeth I04 and I05 and therefore operate idly. Thus when a balance card enters the pin box P1 and the control sensing pin I36 is in'the operative condition the balance card holds up the pin I36 and the card feed control shaft 54 is therefore not rocked since the latch I engages the lug I41. Accordingly the pawl I06 is operative to feed the disc I03 one tooth.

Each of the signal cards however, is provided With a control hole in a position to be sensed by the pin I36, and accordingly when "a signal card is in the pin box P1 the pin I36 will be ableto descend to its fullest extent and the latch I45 Will be withdrawn from the lug I41, whereby the card feed control shaft 54 will be rocked and by means of the link II2 the pawls I06 and I01 will be lifted clear of the disc I03 and will be inoperative to feed the disc.

A fixed stop I is' provided against which the lower end of the arm 99 is normally held by the spring I I5, this stop being in a position such that it maintains the disc 'I 03 in position for the pawls I06 and I01 to engage the first tooth I04.

When the disc is in this position as already described, the horizontal link 91 to which it is connected, is in a position such that it maintains the shutter 83 of the reject box 82 open, whereas when the disc I03 has been stepped round one tooth from the normal position the recess IOI in the horizontal link 91 is below the pin I02 on the control link 90 for the shutter and, therefore, the shutter 83 is permitted to close. When the disc is stepped round to the second tooth I05, the horizontal link 91 moves to a position in which the recess IOI is beyond'the pin I02 on the control link 90 and the shutter 83 is opened again.

Thus, when the disc I03 is in its normal position, a card fed from the balance card magazine I will enter the reject box 82. When the disc has been stepped one toothfrom the normal position, the reject box is closed and a card fed from the balance card magazine will enter the receiver which is beyond the rejectbox. On the other hand, when the disc I03 has been stepped to its second position, the rejectbox B2 is open again and a card fed from the balance card magazine will enter the reject box. 

